Arts and Crafts Ashbourne

The town has a number of crafts people and plenty of galleries. With it’s architecture and surrounding countryside it is also the source of inspiration for other artists. This page is a showcase for some of the talent we have as well as showing off the beauty of the town I live in. This is accessible and as much part of Try Ashbourne First as the retailers on our High Street. Before you think of buying a framed print from a high street chain what about commissioning something that you’ll really love for years?

Ruth Gray is a fine artist who is both a British and Australian citizen specialising in semi abstract artworks that explore the effect light has on the emotion, colour and form of natural environments. She has begun a series of paintings of everyday scenes in the town, special events and landscapes. Working predominantly in acrylics, but also collage, watercolours, pastels and pencils. Often combining techniques, to create vibrant mixed media works.

Mark Langley specialises in Animal Portraits, Architecture Studies and Transport Studies – working from his tudio in Belper, Derbyshire. His works are mainly produced in a self-taught style using a distinctive combination of Graphite pencil and Caran d’Ache colour pencil. Mark’s type of Architectural work is hard to find nowadays. It is ideal for small studies, very fine but unusual house portraits and company premises of distinction. You can see more of his work and read about how to commission a piece of work from him at his excellent website at http://www.mark-langley.com/index.htm

Graeme is an Ashbourne artist and illustrator. In his words “I think most of my work is about storytelling: capturing a situation or a scene that seemed to be memorable or unusual in some way. I like to present a simplified world broken down into colours and shapes, and let the viewers imagination fill in the gaps.” He works in a range of media including combinations of drawing, painting, digital imaging, printmaking and photography. His work can be seen and purchased at http://www.graemereed.co.uk

Sue is an artist working from Beechenhill Farm near Ilam. She offers bespoke birds-eye-view maps of towns, villages and organisations, Book and website illustration, Stained glass design, Swedish folk art paintings, prints and commissions

She designed Ashbourne’s own town map which features on a number of noticeboards around the town.

Andrew Macara studied contemporary modern British Art for a short period with Leonard Fuller at the St Ives School of Painting amongst the Cornwall Art Galleries but considers himself to be predominantly a self taught artist. He was elected a member of the Royal Society of British Artists in 1981 and in 1984 was elected to the New English Art Club. Andrew Macara today has one of the most distinctive styles of present day contemporary British Artists. He is now established as a very collectible contemporary figurative artist and over the years his paintings have proved to be a good British Art Investment.

Andrew Macara travels extensively gathering images for paintings from around the world, but his native Derbyshire continues to feature in many paintings – particularly the Winter scenes. Other subjects with strong demand are Andrew’s British seaside paintings. Recently he has been exploring a new subject matter of reflections, involving a more abstracted painting style.

Stephen Coley is a freelance professional artist, currently living in the Derbyshire countryside. He mainly specialises in mixed media painting & collage, sculpture, pen & ink drawing and portraiture. After graduating from the University of Derby with a BA (hons) Fine Art Degree in 2001, he has continued to practice as a mixed-media visual artist and has exhibited and sold work throughout the UK. He has also undertaken numerous exciting and challenging commissions and arts projects over the years.

Ken Burton has been a professional artist for over 20 years. Initially inspired by Victorian watercolours he has, over the years visited virtually every county producing paintings, mainly in watercolour capturing the rapidly changing countryside, towns and villages. He has exhibited across the UK and his paintings are in private collections in the USA, Australia, New Zealand and Europe. His painting of Ashbourne’s St John Street was painted around 20 years ago. More of his work can be seen at http://www.kenburton.co.uk.

9. Rebecca Morledge

Ashbourne

Rebecca studied A level Art as an evening class and then went on to take a degree in Illustration at the University of Derby, with the constant support of her husband and family.

In 2009 she entered a local open art competition and set out to create a painting that she would herself like to buy – her first “birds-eye” painting.

She has continued in this style producing paintings, colourful paintings, of real and imagined places. She loves to paint local towns and pretty villages around Derbyshire and capture the character of these places – Ashbourne included.
More of Rebecca’s work can be seen at her website at http://www.rebeccamorledge.co.uk.

10. Lyanne McCredie

Stained glass designed for Ashbourne Arts Festival

Lyanne is a stained glass artist living in Ashbourne with a studio in the centre of Derby. She has a passion for stained glass, keeping old traditions alive and British manufacturing.

She worked for many years as an engineer and production manager at JCB before deciding to launch her own venture and begin making stained glass. From her first course she has been experimenting with methods and techniques to produce beautiful pieces.

Neil Clarke was born in the Ashbourne area and studied at Derby and Norwich before returning to the area to work as a self-employed artist/craftsman. He specialises in landscapes and architectural work using mainly watercolour but also a range of other media. His work is mainly traditional in style but he has produced some terrific reflections paintings which take well known scenes and abstract them.

As well as painting he is a talented furniture designer and craftsman. He produces both art and furniture to commission but also has items for sale via his website http://www.neil-a-clarke-artist.co.uk/index.htm and his work is regularly on display in the Opus Gallery

In the heart of the Derbyshire Dales countryside, Lucy works very closely with her customers and drawing what she loves. The emphasis is on creating usable art as well as drawings and prints to hang on the wall.

Lucy turns her illustrations by hand into cards, illustrations and framed drawings. She is constantly increasing the range of what the illustrations are applied into and she is always keen to hear what customers have in mind through her website. She applies children’s illustrations onto a range of things children use such as PE bags, party bags, hanging signs and much more.

Derek Shapiro is a Staffordshire artist based at the Country Gallery in Maer.

His repertoire is vast covering landscapes, animals, maritime themes and still life. He paints in a traditional realist style.

He has painted two Osmaston pictures including the one here. Prints of this are available at http://www.shapirofineart.com and Derek has a wide selction of paintings covering the different subjects he covers on the site. He also takes commissions.

Clare Caulfield is an artist working in West Yorkshire. Her work is underpinned by a passion for illustrative drawing and architecture. Amongst her collection are views of some of the world’s greatest cities featuring the tallest skyscrapers alongside more intimate views of street life. They are full of life which is created through Clare’s drawing style and a vibrant mixed-media palette.